Black Lily and the Song
by Tenshi D. Alicia
Summary: Akachi has a question for some people; ever wondered what things were like in the beginning? Well this girl knows, and she's come back! "So I guess we're both Shrio-chan's, huh?" I hope this Lily isn't too picky about his music, because this Song is playing no matter what- even it if costs her everything to tell her story. BUT GODDAMMIT MATSUMOTO! Toshiro x OC!
1. Enter, Bloodred Rose

**HELLO! First chapter of my new Bleach fanfic! This is a TOSHIRO x OC story, and Momo lovers do not fret, I am not a hater. :D **

**Hopefully you won't try to kill me for my lack of knowledge about Bleach- I basically know everything, except I haven't actually ****_watched _****or ****_read _****all of Bleach. I am doing this thanks to the glory of the Bleach Wiki (Hallelujah!) and the skin of my teeth. If something is wrong, PLEASE. TELL. ME. **

**Arigato Gozaimasu! Please enjoy-**

**Disclaimer: What, you didn't think I'd let this be a peaceful introduction did you?! OF COURSE NOT! **

**Alicia: DISCLAIMEEEER! **

**Disclaimer: NOW GET ON WITH IT PEOPLE! GET READING BAKAHEADS! **

**Alicia: Ah yes, did I mention the crazy amount of Bakahead in this fic?**

**Disclaimer: GET READING YOU LITTLE-**

**Alicia: **strangles** Please excuse my delinquent idiot of a Disclaimer. I do not own Bleach, Kubo won't share. Now please enjoy the fanfic while I go strangle my Disclaimer. **

**Disclaimer: **gargles sound** BLAAAAAARG**

(Music: OST 1, On the Precipice of Defeat)

She woke up. It was another day. Or night. She couldn't tell. Everything was blank. Stone and cement and plastic and steel and empty. Her hair was bleached from the fluorescent lighting. She sat with one knee up against her chest, the other leg on the floor. She stared sadly at the ground. Her hair was a curtain to block her prison. She didn't want to look at it. It hurt her eyes. The music didn't help either.

This morning it was strange. It was building up, a strange mix of noise and what sounded like a keyboard or an electric guitar. It gradually added even more noises, of sirens and a strange mumbling, like a ghostly chorus was rising to whisper incoherent things to her. They sent shivers down her spine. It sounded dangerous, like a battle was beginning. Tensions were rising; her never relaxed body tensed even further, nerves tightening until they threatened to snap apart like brittle straw. She shivered in her thin white dress. All she knew was the music. The room was bare. The room was white. But the music was sanity. The music was strength. The music was the last hope.

She didn't have a name. Oh, she had something to be called by- Subject #208442. Mentality disorder, constant hallucinations, ADHD. Mental. Crazy.

But a name? Something someone else gives you at birth, a first step in life? No, she had no such luxury. She had a designation, a label. Akachi. Her "name" was Akachi. Red blood. For her eyes. She had only seen her reflection once. And she saw the brightest, most curious red eyes staring back. As red as blood. So she labeled herself red blood. For her blood colored eyes.

The music was growing stronger now. It was a constant beat in the back of her head, a forbidding sound looming overhead. She shivered and drew her legs in to her chest, her body spasming in cold terror. She bit her lip so hard that she bled- she could taste the copper in her mouth. The low chords in a minor piano key kept playing, slamming noise against the strange mumblings of sad ghouls.

Then suddenly, it stopped. The crash of piano keys stopped in a final blow, the whines and murmurs slowly dying. Akachi waited for the music to start again, for a new melody to replace it.

Nothing happened.

There was no noise.

Silence.

Absolute silence.

She lifted her head. _What was going on? No noise? No sounds? I've never had no music; it was always there, in the back of my head. Sometimes it would be so faint it was nothing more than a whisper, but it was always there. Always. _

Now, that constant sound was gone. The melody and notes that had continuously remained with her, even through her darkest times, was gone.

Akachi got up and stood on shaky legs. She got her balance, and moved to the white door that was cut into the opposite wall of her square little room. _Is it… Is it…? _She thought. _Please… Maybe… Is it… Is it? _

She put her hand on the handle, and turned it. The door opened.

She was met with a wave of sound, footsteps on tiles and sirens and screeching voices. It was madness. Lights flashed and horns blared warnings and feet pounded across floors. People rushed to and fro, barking orders and carrying out instructions and protocol.

_It's a break. _She realized. Someone's gotten out. Someone dangerous.

_Which means this is my chance to escape. _

Akachi took a deep breath. She steeled herself, and grasped the edges of her door's frame. She gently eased one foot out the door, and set it down lightly onto the tiles.

For the first time in a thousand years, Akachi had stepped foot outside her prison.

(….)

Akachi laughed. She was joyous. She crowed in delight and spun around in glee, lifting her hands to the sky. _The sky. _She never thought she'd see it again. She never thought she'd be so happy just to feel grass, to smell rain, to feel heat and cold and adrenaline again. She loved the sun warmed stone beneath her feet, the cold wind against her cheek, the sun heating the back of her neck through her long hair. She never imagined she could ever feel such happiness. Not again.

She giggled. She ran across a field of grass, trimmed short and neat. Her feet flew beneath her. She was strong. She was small, fast, lithe and agile. She was sure-footed, her hands out by her sides as peals of laughter bubbled from her lips. She was happy. She was having _fun_. She loved this, the sky, the sun, the rain, the earth, the stone. She loved it.

She looked around. She was only in a small courtyard. She heard birdsong and crickets, chirping and squawking. Her own music had yet to return; and she loved it. She could hear again. She could listen. She kept laughing, her cheeks hurting from smiling so much.

She ran over to a porch of sorts, and climbed up. Her dress was still white, miraculously, but she shivered in the early morning chill. She looked around for something to wear.

Hanging on a peg nearby was a bright red cloak of sorts. It looked new and was pretty to Akachi's untainted eyes. They sparkled comically; never had she seen something so vibrant or colorful in her life. She slipped it on and twirled around, looking at her shoulders and arms that were now covered by the light red fabric. She giggled, and trotted off out the tall wooden gates.

Akachi looked around in wonder. The morning sky was light, the sun just rising. She looked around at the low houses and stone walls, walking down paths and alleys, skipping down roads. She giggled again, and stuck a toe in a puddle that was colored with oil. She laughed and kept walking.

She ran down a wide street, turning and jumping up into the air, smiling like a naïve child. She hadn't had such freedom for so long; who was to deny her the joys of a childhood she mightn't have had, or at least couldn't remember. She was blissful now. Let her savor the moment.

Akachi came upon another large grassy field. She stepped onto it, and broke out into a gleeful run. She yelled out in enchantment, enthralled by her escape and her newfound freedom. Who knew just being able to move freely was such a privilege? She had originally moved around every day in her room; dancing, running in place, anything to keep herself active. Later on, she stopped, realizing she wouldn't need to keep in shape. She wasn't leaving anytime soon.

Now, she was glad of her persistence in her earlier years. She was still strong and swift, and could still run fairly fast. She was so thankful she wasn't slow and cumbersome like she feared she would be. Nobody liked being a slow-poke.

Coming to the end of the field, she was met with a dense tree line. Tall trees rose in a dense wall of green, night still hiding in their shadows. Akachi looked at the trees curiously. Surely nobody would miss her? She was just another girl. She was harmless. Crazy, yes, but harmless. She shrugged. What could one little peek do?

She stepped beyond the trees.

(…)

Toshiro Hitsugaya was tired. Tired of work, tired of his useless lieutenant, and tired of sleep deprivation. Yes, Toshiro Hitsugaya was very, very tired. But he was mostly tired of the huge pile of paperwork that loomed over his head 24 hours a day.

"Honestly, I'm going to go crazy… All I see is black and white! Black and white! It's like I'm in Hueco Mundo for crying out loud!" The tiny captain grumbled. He signed another page, whipping it into the pile of finished paperwork, then moved onto the next page.

"Taiichoooou~!" Toshiro put his head in his hands and sighed. "What is it now, Matsumoto?" He grumbled, clearly annoyed. Only now did his lieutenant show up, five hours after she was supposed to report for duty!

"The Head Captain is calling a meeting for all the Captains and Lieutenants." The buxom blonde reported cheerily from over her scrawny captain's shoulder. Her wide blue eyes held all the innocence in the world. Toshiro wanted to call out Hyourinmaru just to teach that woman a lesson. He sighed, collecting himself, and his homicidal thoughts.

"Fine. Let's go." Matsumoto cheered, and he sighed again. He really needed to get his lieutenant under control. She was driving him crazy.

Matsumoto Rangiku was cheerful. She had won a drinking bet with Ikkaku and Renji, so they owed her money which she could use to bribe Nanao to do her paperwork for her. Or she could always use her boobs to get some bottom-feeder Soul Reaper to do it for her. Men were so easy to manipulate. The catty strawberry-blonde smiled coyly.

"Oh by the way Taichou?" Rangiku said.

"What now?" Toshiro muttered.

"The meeting was supposed to start five minutes ago."

"WHAT?!" Toshiro screeched. "MATSUMOTOOOOO!"

"Sorry sorry!"

"Oh god… let's get going."

Toshiro and Rangiku were making their way towards the exit of the Captain's office before Rangiku gasped. "Captain! Your shoes!" Toshiro looked down. He had been walking around in his _tabi _socks and had forgotten to put on his sandals. Blushing, he hurriedly slipped them on and stalked off, Rangiku smothering her giggles behind him. Toshiro muttered and grumbled all of the two flash-stepped seconds it took to get to the First Division.

When they walked in, they were the last to arrive. "Glad you could join us, Captain Hitsugaya." Head Captain Yamamoto rumbled. Toshiro threw a sharp look at Matsumoto. She just laughed and scratched the back of her head. At least five other lieutenants in the room sighed and/or shrugged. _What can you do?_

Head Captain Yamamoto cleared his throat. "I have called this meeting today because of some pressing business in the 12th division. Captain Kurotsuchi." The creepy clown captain grinned.

"Of course sir. This morning, at precisely oh-five hundred hours, a correctional facility in the southwestern wing of the division experienced a small meltdown. Apparently, Rin was eating too close to one of the generators again." Small chuckles and sighs from the company.

"Anyways, the complex went into a small electrical shutdown. Of course, protocol was followed, but…" Mayuri trailed off. The captains were confused. It wasn't like the captain to not finish something he was saying.

"One of the occupants escaped. It somehow slipped past security and got out." Kurotsuchi finished, thru.

"Wait a moment," Captain Komamura spoke up. "You say 'occupant', Captain Kurotsuchi. What is this 'occupant' you speak of?" Captain Kurotsuchi snorted.

"It's a soul, but a defected one. Wait a moment." A screen dropped down in the back of the room and the lights in the room dimmed. "This is the file we had on it."

Depicted in the file was a picture of a young girl, very, very young. She looked no older than a toddler, staring curiously at the camera. She had long hair, but its color wasn't in the photograph. The file had been photocopied into black and white.

"The soul of Reisha Junichiro, aged 3 at death. By examining this file, I have learne-"

"Wait a moment!" Captain Ukitake of Squad 13 spoke. "Do you mean to say that the dangerous escapee you speak of is a young girl?" He looked angry, like this was an abomination. Toshiro felt inexplicitly angered by this. Surely such a young child was no threat to the Soul Society?

"I do, Captain Ukitake." Kurotsuchi narrowed his eyes.

"Preposterous!" Ukitake fired back.

"Silence! Captain Kurotsuchi, continue!" Captain Yamamoto thundered.

"Of course. As I was saying, this girl is mentally unstable. According to eyewitness reports, she goes off into fits of killing and murder, a psychotic, ruthless killer. Apparently she sings as she kills, always the same tune."

Toshiro felt a cold chill run down his spine.

"What proof of these claims do you have, Kurotsuchi?" The 8th Division Captain Shunsui Kyoraku spoke, tipping his hat up with a finger, looking deadly serious.

"Eyewitness reports." The strange captain retorted.

The perpetually foolish captain raised an eyebrow. "Knowing you, Kurotsuchi, you wouldn't trust the words of a person." _Smooth. _Toshiro thought.

The Captain gritted his teeth. He was in the spotlight now, and if he couldn't produce evidence, nobody would take him seriously.

The Head Captain thrust his staff into the ground, a loud bang resonating. Everyone quickly turned to look at the captain.

"Be silent! Captain Kurotsuchi, if you cannot produce convincing enough evidence to satisfy your fellow captains, then I will have to acknowledge your claims as false!" When Kurotsuchi didn't reply, Yamamoto bristled. "Kurotsuchi Taicho, I am disgusted that you would try to mislead your fellow captains. You will turn over the presentation to your lieutenant."

_Good lot that's gonna do. _Toshiro thought. _Nemu's practically a slave to her father._ He gagged.

"Yes." The 12th Division lieutenant replied. She stepped up to the front of the room. "Reisha Junichiro was admitted to this complex because of a mental disability that would set her off in seizures and attacks. People who saw her said she looked like she was possessed by a demon."

Again, Toshiro felt chilled.

"She would scream and cry, then move around and destroy anything in her path. All the while, she would repeatedly say, "Make it stop, stop it, stop it please." And so on. She would, according to someone very close to her, always end up crying in the end." Neku finished.

"Thank you, 12th Squad lieutenant Kurotsuchi." Yamamoto rumbled.

Toshiro felt his eyes narrow. "Head Captain," He started. Everyone in the room turned to look to the small captain. "Why are we concerned with this girl?"

Yamamoto knit his eyebrows. "This girl is a priority, Captain Hitsugaya. Do not question it." Toshiro bristled.

"I agree with the kid. What's some kid got to do with our duties as captains, Soutaicho?" Captain Kyoraku spoke again. Toshiro stiffened at the "kid", sending the Captain an icy glare.

"That is not of importance right now. As of this moment, I want squads ten, six and two out looking for her. She is to be captured alive, and brought straight to me. Do not let her escape custody once found, understood?" Yamamoto thundered. The captains were in shock, but were composed. Even Soi Fon looked agitated by the Head Captain's strange behavior. Only the 12th Divison Captain looked smug.

Understanding they were dismissed, the captains left quickly. "Matsumoto, I want the squad notified of the situation and three groups sent out to look for the girl. Find out where the other squads are searching and cover more ground. I'm going out to look for myself." Toshiro stated to his lieutenant mid flash-step. Tightening Hyourinmaru on his back, he quickly shunpo'd out.

"Yes captain." Rangiku said. She couldn't help but worry about the intentions for that poor girl, and what she must have gone through as a child.

(…)

"Overcast, Evidence of Light"

Akachi tried it on her tongue. She smiled. It hadn't lost its sense of beauty after all these years, the hidden light behind the black paper moon. She had always though of I like that. Half of the black moon, half of the white sun, reversed and held together with the thorns of her life.

She releflected on her name. 陰る, 光の証. Kageru, Akashi no Hikari. Overcast, Evidence of Light. She loved her name, and she was always proudly telling Akachi that.

Before the noise. Before the sound.

After the noise, she had tried to find her again. She had always called out her name to her, but it was like she was being overcast, like she was no longer the one being blocked, but the one who saw the blocking. She felt separated from Hikashi.

That was her nickname. Akashi no Hikari was too weird of a name to be called, Hikashi had said. So Akachi had been forced to call her Hikashi. It was silly, but Akachi found it lovely.

Now, she smiled. She could feel her power beneath her fingers. She just needed to manifest it.

_Can you hear me? Can you hear me Hikashi?_

_(Yes, mistress. After a thousand long years, I can hear you again.)_

_Hikashi. Wait for me. _

_(Always my mistress. Always.)_

_Thank you. _

_(No. Thank you for living.)_

_…_

_Thank you for not leaving me alone. _

_(I have lived for a thousand years. I can wait for one more.)_

_Yes. I see. I have one year then?_

_(Yes.)_

_Fine. Then I shall have to work hard. _

_(You will.)_

_And I will probably cry a lot._

_(You shall.)_

_But will I get stronger in the end?_

_(Absolutely.)_

_Then I'll do it. _

_(We will do it, mistress.)_

_Of course, nakama._

**Nine Months Pass…**

"For the love of… MATSUMOTO!"

"Whoops! Look ouut~!"

"WAH!"

CRASH!

"Owowowow…"

"I'm so sorry Captain! Are you all right?"

Toshiro's head bobbed up from the pile of boxes that had just landed on him, looking comically angry among the many boxes strewn around him. "For god's sakes Matsumoto, watch where you're going!" Toshiro blushed violently at being seen like this in front of others. He had been speaking with Captain Kuchiki of Division 6 for crying out loud! HE turned even redder in the cheeks. Byakuya looked on stoically.

Matsumoto fussed around him for a while, before he threw her off gracelessly, standing up with a red face. "Sorry Captain Kuchiki- you were saying?" He mumbled apologetically to the 7th Squad captain.

Byakuya looked unimpressed. "Yes Hitsugaya-san. As I was saying, it has been nine months since "that incident" and still, the girl has not been found. I think it is time to take measures to insure her capture." Toshiro nodded.

"I agree Captain Kuchiki, but I think that what we have done so far hasn't been the answer. We should confer with Captain Soi Fon and ask her opinion on the matter." The Captain nodded.

"Alright Hitsugaya-san. I will speak to Captain Soi Fon, but some sort of measures must be taken immediately. I will leave that to you." Toshiro nodded. Byakuya took his leave.

Toshiro wanted to slam his head into the wall. Or go back to his room and sleep for another year. He had the worst headache possible, he thought, and it just got worse and worse. This girl kept giving them the slip, no matter what they did. Even Soi Fon couldn't get close to the girl, and she was the best stealth fighter they had in the Seireitei. Byakuya tried using Senbonzakura to find her, but the girl hadn't even been detected. And when Toshiro went into the field personally, he hadn't even felt the girl's reatsu. It seemed no matter what they did, she couldn't be found.

"Reasearch and Development have a new lead on the girl's location, Captain." Matsumoto said. Toshiro didn't move.

"Apparently, she's hiding in a grove of woods on the outskirts of Block 7. She's chosen her hiding place well; it's near a cave that hides spiritual pressure. Like the crystal cave the Bounts used to conceal their location." Toshiro turned his head towards her ever so slightly.

"She's found Captain. All we have to do is catch her." Matsumoto continued. "That's what's in these boxes: tranquilizers." She pulled out a sliver case. Upon opening, it contained two neat rows of ten vials of amber liquid. Matsumoto picked one up to show her captain.

Toshiro took it in his hand. He chuckled darkly. "Alright then girl, let's see you escape me now, little wretch. Hehehehe…." Matsumoto shivered. She did not like how closely her captain resembled Mayuri Kurotsuchi right now.

One thing's for sure, she thought. Things are not going to be boring around her anytime soon.

(…)

(_No! Faster! Do you think the Soul Society will be lenient if they catch you?! You must be faster!)_

_I'm… Ha…. Trying!_

_(You must try harder!)_

_I'm going as fast as I can!_

_(Not good enough! They'll catch you!)_

_I… Can't…._

_(No! Do not stop now mistress!)_

_Can't go on… I need… to rest…_

_(You may not! Do not make me repeat myself, you must keep going!)_

_Can't… Sorry Hikashi…_

_Sorry…._

Akachi fell face first into the grass, already lightly snoozing. She was so tired. All she had done was train train train. Increase your pain tolerance! Gain more stamina! Run father, get stronger, train more and more and more! Akachi was ready to sink into a nice patch of grass and fall asleep. Or a bush. But not a bramble bush. That had not been a fun experience.

She could hear Hikashi screeching like a banshee in her head, but she was in no condition to answer. _Oh grass, how do I love thee so? Let me count the ways…_

Suddenly, her nap was cut short by the presence of two people coming towards her very quickly. Akachi leapt from the ground and started running to her hideout, Hikashi keeping silent for once.

_Who is it? Another Shinigami?_ Akachi bit her lip. _Chikuso! I'm not allowed to hurt them. If I did, they'd come after me in swarms. _She leapt into a tree, bounding across branches in a desperate attempt to keep going.

_Dammit Hikashi! If you hadn't pushed me to my limit I could've been long gone by now! _Akachi swore in her mind, chastising her zanpakuto's insatiable lust for strength.

"Gotta move gotta move gotta move….." She mumbled, not daring to raise her voice above a whisper. She didn't have the air to speak while running.

Akachi kept running and running before she felt something in her stomach. _Oh no… _Akachi thought. _Please no no no no no! Not now! _

No such luck. Next step she took, Akachi doubled over in pain, crying out like a child and hugging her stomach tightly. "OW!" She screeched, screaming and crying. She gasped when she fell to the ground, landing heavily on her side, getting the wind knocked out of her.

_Oh god oh god oh GOD… _She thought.

(_Mistress! Be strong!) _Hikashi said, trying to get her to move. (_You must move! Hurry, before they find you!)_

_I can't Hikashi… It's gonna start any second now!_

_(I know mistress I know! Which is why I'm telling you know before you won't be able to hear me! YOU MUST MOVE!)_

Somehow, Akachi managed to pull herself up and drag herself to the foot of a tree. She hid herself in some brush, pulling the scratchy branches over her.

_(Good, mistress. Now, I have to go. Be strong!)_

_NO! Hikashi! Don't leave me! No!_

_(Be strong mistress, and don't be caught! I'll never forgive you if you're caught!)_

_Hikashi…._

"AUUUUGH!" Akachi felt the pain that was in her stomach start to move. "Hii…. Hiii….." She whimpered in pain. It had never been this bad before.

Maybe it should be clarified. Instead of having a "monthly cycle", Akachi experienced excruciating pain in her stomach, chest and head. It was a buildup of the music in her head. The sounds she controlled and forced down into the back of her mind exploded, bursts of intolerable static parading through her head. It was like a stampede of elephants inside her head, loud music and incomprehensible noise blasting throughout her whole being.

It was absolutely horrific, and she dealt with it every month. For god knows how long.

Akachi kept crying and whimpering, eventually biting down on her own sword to muffle her screams. She just didn't want to be found. She didn't want to go back to that room, to the empty, cold room, to the endless mutterings and mumblings of ghosts. Hikashi had told her that. The voices she heard were the voices of souls. The music was their soul's song. It was written on their heart, and when they died, it was what was left behind. It would usually float away with the wind, but not with Akachi.

No. Hers had stayed with her when she had died, at just two months old.

That's why she was different. She heard the voices of souls. She could not only sense them, but she could communicate with a soul's thoughts and even their zanpakuto's thoughts in some cases. It depended on how advanced and how close the soul and sword was.

Akachi just didn't want to be subjected to that again. The voices of those souls were awful They were the voices of people who had been killed by their own madness. The voices of insanity. Akachi couldn't do anything t help them now- all she could do was suffer with them.

All the girl could do was scream and cry as she drifted off into a fitful, hazy sleep.

(…)

Toshiro and Rangiku were in the field, close to the target. They both had tranquilizers on them, Rangiku with the means of administering it. Toshiro was ahead of her.

"Captain! I sense a spiritual pressure not too far from here!"

"I feel it too! Let's hurry!"

"Right!" The pair shunpo'd out, running even faster across the treetops.

Suddenly, Toshiro gasped and stopped short, landing on a branch. "Rangiku! Do you feel that?" Rangiku shivered.

"It feels… awful, Captain." Toshiro made a noise of approval. "It's like… horrible, awful screaming and pain…" The normally cheerful and happy lieutenant started sweating and shivering.

Toshiro bristled nervously. "I know Matsumoto. I feel it too." Toshiro felt very cold. Not that was anything new for the ice captain, but this time… It was unnatural. It was fear.

Toshiro did not like this feeling of foreboding. Something told him he shouldn't keep going, but he didn't listen.

"Rangiku! We have to keep moving." Rangiku nodded. He nooded back. "Let's go!"

They came upon the body of a girl. A girl with white hair, pale skin, and dirty clothes.

A girl who was gagging herself and crying and biting down on a sword. A katana, more precisely.

Toshiro was shocked. Rangiku fell back onto her knees. The picture they had been shown was of a three year old. This girl was old. She was at least a hundred years old if Toshiro's estimate was anything to go by.

This girl? _This girl?!_ He felt bile rise in his throat. This girl was _weak._ She was weak, crying, and alone. How was she supposed to be a threat to the Soul Society? _What does Yamamoto take us for? Amateurs?! _

Toshiro took her body in hand and sat the girl up. Rangiku came out of stupor and helped him gently raise the girl so she was upright, her back leaning against a tree. Toshiro put his hand to her forehead. She was burning hot.

"Rangiku, get a message to Unohana Taicho. Tell her she's going to have a new patient soon, and that she's very sick, weak, and scared." Toshiro informed his lieutenant. Rangiku replied, but Toshiro was too involved with the girl to notice.

"Hey, wake up. Can you hear me?" He asked the girl. She cried out fitfully, clutching at his sleeve, tears slipping down her cheeks. "It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you. Please, wake up."

Akachi heard something. Something distinguishable from the dreadful noise and static. A voice, she thought. "H-Hikashi…?" She whispered dryly. Her throat was scratchy from screaming. "It… Hurts… Hikashi…" She moaned and whined. "Hikashi….!" She bawled. She had just gotten hit with a particularly bad burst of static.

Toshiro rubbed the girl's back. "Shh. It's okay, it's okay. Junichiro-san, please wake up."

The girl raised her head and cracked open one wet, glassy eye. "J-Junichiro…? Who's that?"

Toshiro was surprised. "That's you. Your name."

She shook her head. "No… my name…. no…. not it…"

Toshiro was confused. "If not, then what is your name?"

The girl gasped, and sucked in a dry, high-pitched breath. "A-akachi… My name is Akachi…" She fell into his arms, just enough time for Toshiro to catch her.

"You name is Akachi?" Toshiro asked, holding the white haired girl in his lap now, her head against his shoulder.

"Yes… Please…. Hikashi… where…. Where is she…?" The girl groped blindly for something, tears flowing down her cheeks. Toshiro reached out and grabbed the sword on the ground.

"Is this what you're looking for?" He said. The girl grabbed it and hugged it close.

"Yes… Hikashi… Thank god…" The girl smiled once before screaming out. "AAAAAAAAGRH!" She clawed at her head, crying and screaming. "Stop! Stop! No, go away, I can't help you! No no no! STOP!" Rangiku and Toshiro jumped in fright. Toshiro rushed to her side.

"Shh, hush, quiet, it's alright, shh…" The girl sobbed into his arm, twisting the fabric of his shikakusho so tight he thought it might cut off his circulation. "Rangiku! Did you make that call yet?!" He yelled. The girl screamed again, crying agonizingly loud.

"Yes Captain! Unohana Taicho says to bring the girl as soon as possible to the 4th Divison Barracks!" Rangiku replied over the low moans of the girl.

"Good. I want you to come with me. Keep people away from us!" Toshiro shouted, picking the girl up into his arms. She shivered, feverish to the touch.

"Let's hurry." He said, quieter.

"Yes Captain." Rangiku replied.

**YASS! IT IS OVER! I HOPE I DIDN'T KILL YOU YET!**

**Disclaimer: **OUT COLD****

**Alicia: PLease look forward to the next chapter! Jaa ne! :D**

**Disclaimer: **written on the ground** DEATH**

**Alicia: Drama queen. **


	2. Speak, Child of the Past

**Hello! 2nd chapter of _Black Lily and The Song,_ and I left off at a pretty climactic cliffhanger last time! So I hope you'r ready- here comes Akachi and all her frenzy, fury, and fantastical whims!**

**Disclaimer: If Alicia owned Bleach, well, there would be more shirtless boys. **

**Alicia: HEY!**

Akachi woke up, eyes flying open in terror. She sat up quickly, surveying her surroundings. _Where am I?! _ She thought, panicked. She looked down. She was in a clean white dress under clean white sheets. Her skin, which was usually covered in dirt, was clean and pale. She rubbed at her eyes. Her eyesight was still foggy.

"You're awake." Akachi tore her eyes to a young boy, about her height. He had spiky white hair and huge teal eyes. On his back was a long sword. And in his hand was hers.

"Give her back." Akachi croaked out. Her throat was dry and scratchy "Give her back." She said with more force this time.

"You shouldn't talk yet, Junichiro-san." A woman with a long black braid appeared from behind a curtain. She seemed nice enough, but Akachi could hear her voice was one tainted with bloodlust and anguish. She shivered. _Do not mess with this one._ She noted mentally.

The woman walked over to her, offering her a glass of water. Akachi didn't move to take it. The woman smiled. "It isn't drugged, I promise."

"I'm not worried about drugs." Akachi growled out.

"Then what are you worried about?" The woman smiled.

"Everything." Akachi coughed, hacking violently before she spit up some vile black stuff. The woman was instantly at her side, rubbing her back and gently prodding her throat. Akachi threw her arm out, effectively pushing the woman away.

"Don't touch me!" Akachi screeched out, coughing again, gripping her throat, tears coming to her eyes. She couldn't breathe, it was in her throat, and _oh god the noise wasn't over yet was it?_

"Oh god oh god oh god HIKASHI!" Akachi screamed. She ran over to Toshiro and grabbed her sword out of his hands, then leapt out the window and took off like a rocket.

"Hikashi Hikashi Hikashi Hikashi Hikashi Hikashi…." Akachi kept running, slinging the sword over her shoulder and running so fast, so fast so fast. She was the wind, she sped across the ground with the speed of light. She cried and screamed inside, but kept her face blank as she sped past people, people she knew and people she didn't know and people she would rather forget.

She leapt over a stone wall and into a secluded garden. Running over into the shade of some trees and bushes. "Kageru, Akashi no Hikari!" She whispered, unsheathing her beautiful sword. The gleaming silver blade resonated, and then glowed. When it was over, in Akachi's hands was a sword of nothing and everything. Well, really two swords.

In each hand was a ghostly aura, one black and one white. Each morphed into whatever weapon the master desired, two halves of the light and shadow. "Overcast, Evidence of the Light"

Closing her eyes, Akachi let both of the auras go, both of them disappearing into the ground. They started to come back out, climbing out of the ground in the shape of a human girl. In the shape of Akachi.

"Hikashi, help me." Akachi cried to the half formed girl. She was a mirror of Akachi, an identical twin. "Help me, sister, help me my comrade." Akacho collapsed onto her knees, sobbing into her hands.

"_You know what to do." _A voice said. _"Call my name. Summon my strength as your own."_

"If I do, won't it kill me?" Akachi cried out.

_"If you desire it enough, it shant. Call my name child, call my name." _

"Come to me, Akashi. Come to me, Evidence of Light"

_"Yes."_

Extending her hands, Akachi and Akashi linked hands together, Akashi starting to glow. She threw her head back, becoming separate beings. Akachi grabbed both parts, black auras surrounding her. Her swords were twin blades, each as long as her arm. Each had twin sheathes over her shoulders. Each had a simple guard with plain handle, but they were opposites. The turquoise handle, the black and silver blades, and the beautiful hidden dagger in one of the blades. She loved the deceptive simplicity.

_(Shikai has never felt so good.) _Hikashi commented.

_Agreed._ Akachi thought.

_(Now. Let's get out of here!) _Hikashi shouted.

"Let's go!" Akachi burst out of her hiding place, jumping up over the heads of the unsuspecting shinigami, smiling hugely. She laughed, and then took off running towards home.

_Elsewhere…_

"Hitsugaya Taicho! The girl is in Block 3, en route for Block 12! Sir, it seems she's looking to escape the Seireitei!" A messenger burst through the door to Toshiro's office, just as Rangiku was about to serve tea.

"What?!" Toshiro stood up and rushed out, grabbing Hyourinmaru and slinging him across his back. "Matsumoto! Let's go!" Rangiku was stunned.

"But sir! What about the tea?" Rangiku sighed. It was hopeless. She grabbed Haineko and rushed after her Taicho.

(...)

Akachi plowed through Shinigami after Shinigami, grinning like a madwoman. She howled in delight as she took down foe after foe.

"You're the one who gave me a black eye!" She screamed after defeating a soldier from the Stealth Squad. "And you gave a bruise that lasted for a week!" She said, clocking a soldier from the 6th Division in the face.

"Come on out Old Man! I'm not running anymore! Get out here and face me, coward!" Akachi screamed throwing her bloodied face to the sky. Her previously white dress now dyed with spots of crimson.

Funny though. She had wounded plenty of people, but hadn't killed a single one. She was nothing if not merciful.

"GET OUT HERE NOW OLD MAN! I'M SICK OF HURTING THE INNOCENTS! GET OUT AND SETTLE THE SCORE!" Akachi screamed at the top of her lungs. Shingami kept coming at her, only to fall at the hands of the stealthy girl.

Akachi took down a female Shinigami. "Sorry about this…" She said. She took the woman's hair clip. "I'll give it back someday." She put her hair up in a ponytail, then secured it with the clip. The girl had reacquired her red cloak from home, and had tied it around herself.

Running across the top of a wall, Akachi stared at the inner sanctuary. "That's where I'll find him…" She started running across rooftops to the center of the Seireitei. Akachi grinned in her head. She had let the Shinigami believe she was trying to escape the Seireitei, so they had strengthened their defenses there. She was already halfway to her destination when they realized their mistake and started closing in on her.

But at least she got some fun before she faced her old enemy.

Akachi was stopped when she encountered a newer enemy though. "Stop right there!" They yelled. She turned around, already knowing who it was.

"You." She said uncertainly. It was the boy with white hair. "The kiddie Taicho."

He growled in annoyance. "It's Taicho Hitsugaya to you!"

She shrugged. "Hitsugaya-san."

He sighed in annoyance. "You're coming with me, Reisha Junichiro. The Head Taicho wants you captured."

She growled. "Lame old geezer sends the kids out to do the dirty work now, huh? Pathetic. Old Man needs to start taking his job seriously." A vein popped out on Toshiro's head. "So then, the Old Man wants me captured? Tell him to come fight me!" Akachi boldly declared.

"You think you can take on the Head Taicho?! You're crazy!" Toshiro exclaimed.

"I have to! Do you know what happened because of his choices! Because of him, so many were hurt! So many have cried and have suffered, and through it all I was forced to sit alone in that little white room, never aging, never changing! All my friends are gone! All my family is probably dead! All that's left is him! I can't die knowing I lost my last battle to him!" Akachi cried. Toshiro was stunned by her violent outburst, so much so that he did not notice her approach with her zanpakuto.

"I refuse to lose to him! I refuse to allow their sacrifices to go unnoticed!" She shrieked, using both blades against Hyourinmaru. Toshiro gritted his teeth. She was so strong!

_(Master! Watch out!) _Hyourinmaru shouted. A sharp dagger came out of nowhere, flying at Toshiro's head. He sidestepped neatly, and took a stance with Hyourinmaru.

"I should properly introduce myself. I am Toshiro Hitsugaya of the 13 Court Guard Squads, Taicho of Squad 10!" He yelled out to his foe.

"Former resident of Seireitei, a girl who was locked away due to a tendency to hear the songs of souls long gone. Subject #208442. Mentality disorder, constant hallucinations, ADHD. Mental. Crazy. "Red Blood" Akachi." She stated proudly. She held out both swords, showing her weapons.

"Meet myself and my sister, or rather my Zanpakuto, Akashi no Hikari. Now, prepare yourself!" She took her own stance.

"Prepare to die?" Toshiro inquired.

"No. I don't kill." Akachi said. "But prepare to fight me, and prepare for a level you're not at."

"We'll see about that." Toshiro said, before their blades clashed.

(…)

"SouTaicho! The girl is engaged in combat with Toshiro Hitsugaya!" A messenger relayed to the Head Taicho.

"What's going on?' He grumbled loudly.

"Apparently, the girl wants to meet with you, SouTaicho! She insists on it!"

"Send a Hell Butterfly there so I can watch the battle.

"Yes SouTaicho!"

A few minutes later, the Head Taicho could see everything that was going on. "You haven't lost your touch, Reisha…" The Head Taicho spoke fondly.

(...)

Akachi stopped moving, sending Toshiro flying past her with an attack that would have connected had she not sidestepped at the last moment. "Hey! What gives?" He complained, standing up after having gone headfirst into a roof.

"He's watching." She offered. Toshiro looked puzzled, question marks appearing above his head.

"You're there, aren't you?! Where are you?" Akachi roared, spinning around on her feet. She caught sight of a black butterfly. "There you are!" She grabbed for it, but it darted out of her way.

"Fine then. If you won't come to me, I'll come to you!"

Akachi was at the 1st Division meeting hall in seconds flat, Toshiro racing behind her. She burst through the huge wooden doors, coming face to face with her oldest enemy and strongest comrade.

"It's good to see you again, Reisha." A deep voice said. Toshiro gasped.

"Head Taicho!" He said. Akachi narrowed her eyes.

"That's not my name, Old Man. My name is Akachi." She said darkly.

"Akachi? Red blood? A bold name for a bold girl, Reisha."

"Stop saying that name! I am no longer Reisha Junichiro, I am Akachi! Now get down here and fight me!" The girl shouted at the Head Taicho

"No." The Head Taicho stated plainly.

"Gr…" Akachi balled her fists, staring at the ground. Her face was hidden by shadows.

"Tell me… Why did you do it?"

"Hm?" The Head Taicho opened one eye.

"You know what! Why did you do it?"

"I'm afraid I don't. Please clarify for me, Reisha."

Akachi threw her head up, staring directly at the Head Taicho, tears in her eyes, screaming. "Why did you lock me away, Genryusai?! WHY?!" She collapsed to her knees, crying. "I trusted you… I thought you were trustworthy… And you betrayed me! You locked me away out of jealousy! You didn't want any rival in your position as SouTaicho so you locked me away for good!" She screamed at the Head Taicho as Toshiro looked on, shocked into submission.

"Why did you do it Genryusai?! Why would you sentence me to a fate like that?!" She screamed at the man, waiting, praying for an answer.

On the other side of the room, the Head Taicho looked down at his feet. His fukutaicho looked on in shock, awaiting orders. Yamamoto hung his head in shame.

"You are right, Reisha. I did onto you the most horrific thing someone could do. I banished you, the light, from the center of the Seireitei. Instead, I put you in the light until you became a shadow, a shadow of a friend and a shadow of a girl I once knew as a child. I am humiliated by my past actions, and by the hatred that has been wrongly placed onto you because of them. I am… sorry."

Toshiro was overwhelmed. The proud SouTaicho, commander of every Shinigami in the Seireitei, was apologizing to this little girl?! What was next, Kurotsuchi and Kempachi co-hosting a humanitarian meeting?!

Akachi was staring at Yamamoto, openly astonished. Tears collected in the corners of her eyes. The girl sniffed, once, then twice, then threw herself at the Head Taicho.

"BAKA!" She screeched, pounding tiny fists against the Head Taicho's huge body. "BAKA BAKA BAKA BAKA BAKA! You stupid BAKAHEAD!" The girl bawled openly, Yamamoto patiently waiting for the girl to finish. Toshiro thought he saw a flash of fondness in the Head Taicho's expression, but it disappeared before her could blink.

(…)

Toshiro: So what now?

Akachi: I don't know. And Alicia hasn't got an idea on how to end the chapter.

Yamamoto: She's a lazy one she is.

Toshiro: I agree. Bet ten Ken she drops the story halfway through.

Akachi: I believe in her! You're on Toshiro! And I bet twenty Ken!

Yamamoto: To Be Continued!

Toshiro and Akachi: WE'RE ENDING LIKE THIS?!

Alicia: Bye bye~!

**REVIEW FOR ME! TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK! GIVE ME FEEDBACK! And if you flame me, I shall make baked goods and eat them quite happily, so please, SAY WHATEVER YOU WANT, JUST SAY SOMETHING! **bows** Jaa ne! ^_^**


	3. The Past, The Song, and Tears of a Child

**Heyo! Got a new chapter for you guys, stayed up all night to do it too! hope you like it! :D**

**Disclaimer: ... **

**Alicia: Hey!**

**Disclaimer: FINE! Alicia does not own Bleach or any of it's characters!**

**Alicia: And?**

**Disclaimer: Or it's ideas...**

**Alicia: ****_And?_**

**Disclaimer: ****_Or it's plot! Okay?! Now let me sleep! SLEEP! _**

**Alicia: Jeez...**

After the whole episode of Akachi whaling on the Head Taicho, it was only appropriate that most of the other Taichos walk in on them like that. What a spectacle that was.

Once all the commotion had died down, (And Taicho Kyoraku had stopped laughing,) the Taichos held an emergency meeting for some answers about the mysterious girl they had chased for nine months.

Yamamoto cleared his throat. The Taichos stood in their neat rows, and Akachi stood at his left. His fukutaicho stood on his right.

"Each Taicho may ask one question to Junichiro-san, starting with Taicho Ukitake." Yamamoto stated.

"It's _Akachi_." The girl hissed.

"Who are you?" Ukitake asked.

"I am Akachi. Subject #208442. Mentality disorder, constant hallucinations, ADHD. Mental. Crazy. "Red Blood" Akachi." She said coldly, glaring disdainfully at Taicho Kurotsuchi. The man spoke his own question in a slick voice.

"Would you be willing to return with me to the 12th Division as a research subject?" He asked slyly. Half the Taichos in the room wanted to rip his throat out.

"Try anything and I'll castrate you." Akachi spat. Yamamoto growled.

"I see you haven't lost your sharp tongue, Reisha."

"It's _Akachi_!"

"Can you fight?" The Eleventh Division Taicho Kempachi Zaraki asked impatiently.

"I was very strong once upon a time." Was her answer. The Taicho made a "Tsk," sound. Akachi moved onto Toshiro

"What do you intend to do in Seireitei?" The youngest Taicho asked, watching the girl who stood by his commander's side. She stared deeply into his eyes before answering cryptically.

"'As there's a star in the sky,' as the child said." She answered, before moving onto the next person.

"Do you seek justice?" Taicho Tosen asked softly.

"I seek my freedom." She said simply.

"Are you insane?" Kyoraku answered, still bubbling from his laugh over the sight of the Head Taicho getting pounded by a twelve year old.

"Decide for yourself." She shrugged.

"Are you a good person?" Taicho Komamura asked the young girl. Her eyes softened.

"Be it as it may, I am not a person who has had neither the will nor the opportunity to do much harm or good. All I can offer you is my sense of loyalty and wish to prevent the repetition of my pain to others. As I said before, decide for yourself." She moved on before she could get sentimental.

"Do you have a purpose, Junichiro-san?" Taicho Kuchiki asked solemnly.

"My purpose is to get you to understand that my name is not Junichiro, IT IS AKACHI." She sassed. Some Taichos snickered. Even Yamamoto gave a snort. Byakuya narrowed his eyes in a glaring contest, which Akachi held her own in until she had to answer the next question.

"How old are you Akachi?" The 5th Squad Taicho Aizen asked kindly. Akachi narrowed her eyes distressingly. She didn't want to reveal her age, but she didn't want to look scared either.

"Older than you." She finally said. Aizen raised an eyebrow.

"Older than me? I highly doubt it Junichiro-san. You look far younger than me." He said. Akachi looked to Yamamoto pleadingly. He shrugged. She sighed in defeat.

"I'm over a thousand years old. I'm almost as old as Yamamoto." A collective gasp echoed around the room, "No ways' and "Not possible!" coming from fukutaichos and looks of disbelief from Taichos.

"Yeah right!" Renji Abari yelled out from behind Taicho Kuchiki. "How are we supposed to believe that you're _over a thousand years old?!"_

"I doubt that a girl who looks no older than Shiro could be a thousand years old… Let alone as old as the Head Taicho." Momo whispered candidly to Kira. Kira nodded back.

"Silence! What Reisha says is true!" Yamamoto shouted over the frenzy. Unohana spoke up.

"It is true. I have known of Reisha-san's existence before we were informed of her escape." The Taichos whispered viciously. "Also, they probably don't remember, but Taicho Kyoraku and Taicho Ukitake have met her in the past, as students at the academy."

Taicho Kyoraku grinned, and Ukitake shrugged. "The name sounded familiar, so we did some research." Taicho Kyoraku said cunningly. "Turns out she visited the academy multiple times, sometimes even giving a lecture or two."

Akachi smiled. "I remember you two. Kyoraku was always off chasing some girl. But I liked Ukitake, though I didn't think he would ever be a front line fighter." Ukitake shrugged.

"What I want to know is why do you seem so different, Yachiru?" She asked Unohana. A small pinkette looked up from the end of the room.

"Hey lady! How do you know my name?" The girl was on the shoulder of the one who had asked her if she could fight; the one with the spiky black hair who Yamamoto had called Kenpachi. She frowned.

"Yachiru, since when are you the Taicho of the 4th Division? And why isn't your name Kenpachi anymore? And who's bubblegum over there?" She asked both Unohana and Yamamoto, whipping her head back and forth between two people. It was a funny sight.

"I changed my name to Retsu when I became the Taicho of the 4th Division, Reisha-san." Unohana answered smiling. "I also changed my hairstyle to this braid." Akachi clapped her hands together in realization.

"Oh! So that's why I didn't recognize you earlier! Sorry Yachi- I mean, Retsu-san. Or should I call you Unohana-Taicho since we're in a meeting? God, it's been so long since I came to one of these… Hey Old Man! You still do that tea party thing once a month? You had good mochi!" Yamamoto growled. _So that's where all the mochi went. I thought it had melted!_ Half the Taichos in the room were outraged by the thought of this little girl talking to two of the most senior Taichos in such an informal fashion, all the others too occupied by laughter to care.

"And in answer to your question, that is Yachiru Kusajishi of the 11th Division." Akachi blinked. Everyone waited for the shock, or the disbelief, or heck, even a feint.

She shrugged.

"Seems legit." She said. "Next question?"

Needless to say, pretty much everyone in the room went silent at the percussion of dropping jaws (and in Renji and Kira's case, bodies) that hit the floor. Unohana wasn't affected though.

"I have plenty of questions for Reisha,"

"AKACHI."

"But they can wait for later, when we're alone." Unohana smiled. Isane stood quietly behind her Taicho, flabbergasted by the conversation that just took place. She stayed silent.

Akachi narrowed her eyes. The next Taicho was the one who reminded her of a snake.

"Would you consider joining the 3rd Division?" He asked coyly. Yamamoto stood in before Akachi could get a word across.

"Taicho Ichimaru, either ask a relative question or pass your turn!" He ordered. Akachi held out her arm, signaling it was alright. She turned to "Taicho Ichimaru".

"No." She answered simply. He didn't look too upset with that outcome. "Next?"

"Do you follow orders?" The last Taicho, a small girl with black hair asked. Akachi thought she seemed like a bee; annoying, frightening, and painful. She was right to assume that. After all, she had basically summed up the 2nd Division.

But still, she had to be the wise one. "If I followed orders, I most likely wouldn't have earned the nickname 'White Cannon' and 'Fairy Tail." She sassed, cockily putting her hand on her hip. Soi Fon gave her a look.

"_Fairy Tail?"_ She asked, unsure of how this could be a title to be proud of. Akachi grinned.

"My flashstep is so fast, I look like a white blur. People said that when I went by, my hair looked like a Fairy's Tail." She said smugly. Soi Fon growled. Akachi smirked; she knew exactly what to say to make a person angry at her. It was a true talent.

Yamamoto stepped forward. "Now, I think it is time I share some information with you on who Reisha Junichiro was to the Soul Society in her time." Akachi rolled her eyes and muttered, for the umpteenth time, "It's AKACHI".

"Reisha Junichiro was the first Taicho of the Second Division, but quickly became Taicho of Division Zero, guardians of the Royal Family. She was, and still is, Soul Society's ultimate Ace." He looked down at her. "Although I'm not sure what a thousand years has done to your capabilities." She shrugged.

"What did you expect, for me to come out of there fit as a fiddle? I'm nowhere near my old level Old Man. I'm weak by my own standards."

"Fair enough. You were in a room for a thousand years."

Akachi nodded.

"So! Now you know who this girl is. She is the former Taicho of Squad Zero, its founding mother really. She is one of the powers who helped form the Soul Society. Any questions?" Yamamoto looked around. Anyone who could have asked a question was in too much shock to function properly. Yamamoto took that as, "No, we completely understand that a 12 year old girl is some powerhouse from a thousand years ago who gets off calling you 'Old Man'".

"Dismissed! Junichiro-san, you come with me to discuss some things."

"For the last time geezer, IT'S AKACHI!"

(…)

Toshiro Hitsugaya could not sleep. He wanted to sleep. He really, really did. But for some reason, maybe the bed or maybe the rain on the wooden roof, he just couldn't sleep.

Toshiro sighed. Maybe some fresh air would help him sleep. He got up from his bed, the springs creaking in the wooden frame. His white cotton yukata slipped down one shoulder, and he hastily pulled it back up over his arm and chest. He caught a whiff of the scent; like water and earth and the wind. It was clean and fresh, like the night air. He breathed deeply, then crossed the room and slid the rice-paper door open.

Toshiro stepped out onto the porch, gazing up at the white moon. It was pouring rain tonight, a torrent of water falling from the sky. He sighed into the icy night breeze, his white hair blowing into his face. He pushed his bangs back from in front of his eyes, letting his eyes roam into the rain drenched garden. Moonlight fell in beautiful shafts to the ground, and his eyes were drawn to a shining figure, enveloped in a silver ray.

She moved with such grace, such beauty, he fell absolutely silent. Her hair was shining and gleaming like silver silk. Her pale face perfectly illuminated in the strong light. She wore a simple yukata that nearly fell off her it was so large in the top, but fell to just beneath her mid-calf on her legs. He felt his eyes widen as she swooped and dipped in the moonlight, seeming to dance in a small circle of light in his garden.

Akachi fell and swooped through the air, turning her feet ever so slightly to catch herself. She closed her eyes and let herself fall from earth, up to the clouds and into the sky. She fell through the world and twirled around, letting her wings fall and spread around her, enveloping her. She breathed deeply, the righting herself, stretched her head high and began to sing.

_I'm coming home  
I'm coming home  
Tell the world I'm coming home  
Let the rain wash away all the pain of yesterday  
I know my kingdom awaits and they've forgiven my mistakes  
I'm coming home, I'm coming home  
Tell the world that I'm coming_

_I'm coming home  
I'm coming home  
Tell the world I'm coming home  
Let the rain wash away all the pain of yesterday  
I know my kingdom awaits and they've forgiven my mistakes  
I'm coming home, I'm coming home  
Tell the world that I'm coming_

Repeating her chorus twice, she ended with bending back over, so far her hair grazed the earth, her leg lifting up and her foot pointing out. Her arms were raised like wings around her, her hair whipping around in the dying wind and rain. She fell the earth as her sense of bliss fell away, leaving her with the wet feeling of cloth against cold skin, her bloodred eyes cracking open to gaze at the starlit sky as the last wisps of blissful stupor blew away into the sky.

Toshiro slowly slid one foot forward, putting one hand into the foot of his yukata. He stepped down off the porch, quietly making his way across the gravel and grass to Akachi, who had slowly righted herself until her hair fell one again over her shoulders. Her yukata fell just a little too low around her chest, a ramification of stretching her shoulders so far. He pushed his hair back from his face, and spoke clearly to the hazy girl. "What are you doing?"

Akachi whirled around at the sound of a voice, a low and smooth voice. A man? No, the voice was too high pitched. A young man? Possibly. The man had a beautifully low voice, potentially the lowest tenor possible. She looked through the curtain of her hair, hastily brushing it away from her eyes.

What she saw, she didn't believe.

It was a boy. A young teen, about her own age. He had hair that was the same color as her own, a skin tone like coffee and caramel and honey, and _his eyes_. Oh, his _eyes_. They were so _blue_. They were like jewels, there sparkled in the light of the moon, like two beautiful turquoises staring out at her from dark sand. They were the opposite of her bloodred rubies; they were turquoise sapphires.

No, not sapphires. Aquamarines.

"Hello." She breathed, words tossed to the wind. She had completely forgotten her extensive vocabulary, courtesy of many years of study when she had been young. Aah, memories of hours spent late at night at the library, falling asleep with a book in her lap. And then waking to shouts and feet running across pavilions, panicked soldiers scouring the grounds for her.

The boy chuckled. "You did not answer my question." He smiled crookedly, and Akachi felt her breath get taken away.

"I'm sorry" She whispered, bashful. She twined her fingers together. The boy laughed outright this time.

"It's alright." He said, still laughing. Akachi gazed quizzically at him, then had a realization.

"AH!" She shouted, pointing a finger at him. "You're the boy I fought before! Kiddie Taicho!" Toshiro went from zero to sixty in anger, but Akachi ignored him. She was confused.

"Wait, so if you're the Taicho of squad ten, then how many squads are there?" She asked. Toshiro blinked.

"What? You don't know how many squads there are?" He asked, incredulous. Akachi shook her head.

"Gotei 13 was only being formed when I…" She trailed off, suddenly uncomfortable. "Anyways, I only know four Taichos well. I'm afraid… I know very little about Soul Society." She blushed, embarrassed by her own lack of knowledge. Akachi gasped.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I'm intruding on your property!" She shrieked. "Oh god! I probably woke you up too! I'll leave right away-" Toshiro waved his hand in front of her face.

"Aren't you cold like that?" He asked, motioning to her soaked yukata. "You're soaked to the bone." Akachi shivered, only now noticing how chilly the night was. She looked down, and let out a little "eep!" Her yukata was nearly see-through with all the water in it! She hastily covered herself up with her arms.

"N-now that you mention it, I am." She said, teeth chattering from the breeze. It was still early spring; not exactly warm enough to get soaked in the rain and not a have fever and runny nose the next morning. Toshiro took her hand.

"Come on then," He said rather resigned. "You'll catch a cold out here in the rain. Let's go." Akachi was flustered by his offer, but took him up on it none the less. They hurried over to the porch, and Toshiro gave Akachi a hand up. When Toshiro struggled a bit getting up, Akachi tentatively reached a hand out to help him up. Looking up, he gratefully took it.

"Thanks." He said. Akachi followed him inside.

Inside, Toshiro flicked on the lights. His room was fairly big, small enough to be cozy. The front half had a low table with two cushions for sitting on, with a flatscreen TV on top of a small chest of drawers. His bed was to the right, with a nightstand to it's side. The second half was elevated. To the left of the main entryway at the right of the room was a door into an adjacent room, another to the right led to another. A couch was on the elevated part of the floor, a bookshelf to the left of it.

Toshiro walked over to a chest of drawers on the right hand side of the upper floor, and pulled out a pale blue and white yukata.

"I'll make tea- you can change into this. The bathroom is on the left." He said, pointing to the door she had seen on the left. She nodded and smiled, then left to change.

After she came out of the bathroom, changed and dryed, Akachi saw that Toshiro, true to his word, had made tea and set it out on the low table she had seen earlier. Taking a seat, she thanked him for the tea and took a sip.

It was good. Unlike the green tea she had been expecting, the tea was scented with jasmine and tasted minty. It was quite good.

Gently placing down her tea, Akachi cleared her throat. "Thank you again, Hitsugaya-Taicho." She said, smiling. "It's nice." She said, softly smiling down at her tea. Toshiro waved his hand, a bit embarrassed by his chivalry.

"It's nothing, really. It wouldn't be right to leave you outside; besides, your singing was…" Toshiro trailed off, not quite sure how to describe how the girl had looked while she had sung in the moonlight. Glancing up, he saw that her face was colored bright red, her shoulders coiled and tensed, blushing furiously. He looked at her, confused.

"Junichiro-san…?" He asked, not quite sure what ailed her… until she let out a high-pitched shriek of chagrin. She curled over into a ball on the floor, head in her hands, blushing furiously. A torrent of emotions whirled through her head, most of absolute mortification and embarrassment.

"What the hell?" Toshiro asked, panicking a bit at her irrational behavior.

A moan escaped her lips, one she quickly stifled by biting her bottom lip. _HE HAD HEARD HER SING!_

Akachi put her head in her hands, eyeballs bulging out of her sockets. Someone had heard her sing! _And not just anyone, a Taicho too! _She moaned. Why God why?!

"Ah… Could you….possibly forget you heard me sing…?"She asked, her voice no more than a whisper because of her own mortification. Toshiro couldn't help it. Maybe it was the night air from before or the way the girl before him was as red as Renji's hair, but he couldn't help his laughs that exploded from his chest.

"Ha! Haha! HAHAHAHA!" He laughed, completely out of his normal character. He couldn't help it! This girl was hilarious! He nearly fell off his cushion as his body shook from his uncontrollable chuckles, and Akachi tentatively poked her up to look at him.

"I-I'm sorry," Toshiro said, wiping his eyes of his tears of laughter. "It's just… your face was redder than Abari's hair!" Akachi blushed again, and sat up properly.

"Ahem!" She coughed into her fist, clearing her throat. "Anyways, thank you for your generosity, Taicho Hitsugaya. I really appreciate it." She smiled, her smile reaching her red eyes. Toshiro looked deep into those eyes. They were red like rubies, like fire and blood. But they reflected deep pain. Toshiro could see there were tears she hadn't shed, that she should have, tears that weighed her down here and now.

"Anyways, I should take my leave now…" She said, getting up to leave. Toshiro snaked out a hand to grab hers. He stared at her intensely, wiling her to stay.

"Junichiro, stay here, please." He said, more of a command than a request. She turned around, staring into his eyes.

"Akachi," She said. "It's Akachi, please." She stared back for a moment, red and blue clashing, before reclaiming her seat across from him.

"I was wondering if I could ask you some questions." Toshiro asked quietly. Akachi stared back. That was all he wanted? To ask some questions? She nodded her consent.

"However, if I don't want to answer one of them, I won't." She said cautiously. Toshiro nodded.

"When did you join the Gotei 13?" He asked.

"1,000 years ago." She said. Toshiro gave a look that clearly said, _explain._

"1,000 years ago, after Genryusai founded Shinigami Academy, there was a huge war." She whispered. Toshiro cut in.

"Genryusai?" He asked. I thought it was Yamamoto who founded Shinigami Academy."

"They're the same person. Yamamoto took on the name Genryusai later." Akachi said bluntly, leaving Toshiro to sit frozen in the corner while she continued her story. "Before Genryusai founded Shinigami Academy, I was the one who checked the courses and requirements of the students. I became a very strong Shinigami by the time Genryusai opened the Academy to students." She said wistfully.

"I was very young; only about five years after my arrival to Soul Society did I start working with Genryusai, and only two years afterwards did I achieve Shikai, and Bankai a year later." She gave Toshiro a shocked moment before continuing.

"I quickly became a top fighter, but not a Shinigami. I never went to the Academy because I was considered 'too young' to participate. Genryusai eventually grew to hate me- who was this little girl who had bested him in less than a human decade? I had achieved everything it had taken a thousand years to prepare in less than a fraction of it." She smiled a cruel smile, one fraught with pain.

"It was decided I'd become a personal escort for the wife of the Soul King, the Soul Queen. I was her bodyguard, and a good one at that. Eventually, I became very attached to My Lady." She smiled chastely before an expression of remorse graced her face. "She died giving birth to her daughter. She was stillborn."

Her mouth turned up in a wicked grimace. "The Soul King was destroyed by grief. He neglected his duties. He didn't run Soul Society anymore, he didn't do anything. He barricaded himself in his wife's room to grieve for her, eventually shooting himself in the head." She looked at the ceiling.

"The only one who remained was the prince. He took over at ten years of age, running the whole Soul Society. But it wasn't enough." She sighed sadly. "The prince could not stop what his father started. Rukongai and Seireitei were overrun with bandits and criminals, crime was in the streets and death was everywhere. The prince needed a task force, someone to do his work."

She smiled coldly. "He turned to Yamamoto. Genryusai then founded his "Divisions", which at the time, were nothing more than a group of murderers." She looked closely at Toshiro, her red eyes burning into his skull.

"I was one of them. The prince told me to return alive, for his parent's and sister's honor. I promised him I would." She looked down at her hands in her lap, twisted round and squeezing her flesh. "I promise him I would return to his side…" Her voice was choked with thick tears.

"I killed many alongside Yamamoto. But it wasn't just us; there were eleven others. Unohana was among them, alongside us. I can't remember if Ukitake and Kyoraku were there. They probably were." She said. Toshiro was stunned into silence, waiting for her to continue, barely breathing from her gruesome revelations.

She smirked unenthusiastically. "Unohana has a very dark side, Hitsugaya-Taicho. You'd do well never to anger her to the point of break. She was _ruthless_ in my days as a Shinigami." She whispered ominously.

"Thanks for the warning." Toshiro muttered. He felt cold.

Akachi continued. "Honestly, now that I look back on it, we did nothing to help. We just made matters worse. Murder and blood were everywhere; nobody cared." She sounded cold and distant, completely different from the blushing, smiling, polite girl or the beautiful, graceful girl Toshiro had witnessed outside. Now, she was unemotional and calculated, like a cold-blooded killer. He shivered.

A sliver of sadness slipped through the stoic exterior though. "I didn't think at all through all of the battles. It was fight, fight, murder, fight, sleep, fight again. It went on for days on end. It was a ruthless cycle. One plus one plus one plus one more dead. The Devil's arithmetic." She spat.

"Eventually though, it ended. Genryusai founded Gotei 13, and I watched from the sidelines, like I always had. I left, walking down a main street in Rukongai. There was a hill there, where I always watched the sunset. It was small, and was populated, but it was beautiful with the sun overhead, hanging there like fire in the sky." She whispered, going into much more detail now.

"The streets were dyed red. It seeped into the cracks in the pavement, stained even the stone. Women were on their hands and knees, trying to scrub the streets clean to no avail. Even the children knew better than to complain about having to help clean the streets. They were broken, every one of them." Akachi said, voice heavy with remorse.

"When I got to the hill, I found an unmarked grave-marker. No name or scripture was there; just a small wooden board sticking out of the ground, barely coming up to my shin. Yet, it was beautiful. Somebody had dug a hill of dirt up around it, and somebody had taken flowers and replanted them there. Rocks surrounded it, each seeming to hold hands with the next." She whispered. She was in a different world now. She was in the past.

"I cried when I saw that. I never should have though. I let my guard down. I gave them an opening." She snarled bitterly. "I was captured by two of my own men I had trained; what you would now call members of the Omitsukido. They obviously weren't taking a chance on me. I was bound, gagged and drugged. It was relentless torture and interrogation; I didn't know what was going on. They kept screaming for me to confess, calling me witch and traitor." She shivered: why was it so cold? Oh, but it was always cold there. Down there, in the deep, dark room where they had kept her, where they killed her daily.

"I knew then that there was no way out. So I did it. I did whatever they wanted me to- confess, fight, cry, whatever they wanted I did. Eventually, it was decided what would happen to me. I was thrown in that room, and that door wasn't ever opened. Not for a thousand years." She whispered, her story over.

Toshiro sat back on his cushion. "How old were you at the time?" He asked, his voice hoarse.

Akachi's head sprang up, her face blank and red eyes wide. "Uhh… About, 2,100 years old?" She said weakly. Toshiro shot her a look to burn flames. "I'm sorry! Shinigami academy was founded over 2,000 years ago! So that's how old I would be!" She cried out, throwing her hands comically.

Toshiro sighed. After that long and depressing speech she gave, he was ready for some sleep. But this girl was fun to tease; Toshiro wanted to tease her some more.

"Hey Junichiro-san." He said, almost purring. Akachi looked up, serious.

"I told you before Hitsugaya-Taicho, it's Akachi. Please, call my Akachi." He grinned.

"Okay, I'll call you Akachi on one condition." He smiled wickedly. She looked at him curiously.

"You have to stay here for the night."

"Okay, sure."

Silence ensued and Toshiro stared at her for all of a minute before he exploded. "NANI?!" He screeched.

"I didn't have a place to stay the night, so I figured I'd sleep in a tree, but then it started raining, so I moved to a cave, but some animals already had a home there, so I moved to a log, but it was really wet there and I couldn't sleep, so…"

Toshiro stopped listening to her ramblings. He had meant to mess around with her, and yet she was completely oblivious to his taunts! He growled, then sighed, putting a palm to his forehead in submission.

"Oh! But I call the bed!" She chirped. Toshiro pulled the hand away from his face, looking cynically across the table to the white-nette.

"You'll sleep on a futon." He said, getting up to take it out from under his bed. Akachi "aww "'ed, but helped lay it out next to his bed, on the high half of the room, anyways. When she looked over to her right at Toshiro they were almost at the same level. She giggled at the sight.

"Goodnight Hitsugaya-Taicho." She said, smiling impishly. Toshiro sighed, then turned around and drifted into sleep, vowing to get his revenge.

(…)

Later that night, Akachi awoke. She slowly got up, the rustle of the blankets no louder than the wind in the trees. She carefully made her way over to Toshiro's side, kneeling there. Her instincts told her something was wrong, and she had long since given up trying to justify their unshakable orders.

Sure enough, she was right. A cold shiver passed through Toshiro- like a cold snake running up and down his spine. Akachi could see the pain in his expression. It was fear.

He pulled on the bedsheets, squeezing them in his fist and releasing. It was a pattern- reach, squeeze, release, squeeze again, release, squeeze again. Akachi looked down, frowning she was concerned for the poor boy. She took his active hand in hers, holding tightly to the cold and clammy hand. Toshiro let out a whimper, and her frown deepened. Ever so softly, she rubbed his hair, slowly running her fingers through the soft white locks. Taking a deep breath, she whispered into the night, still softly stroking the sleeping boy's head.

_I remember tears streaming down your face  
When I said, "I'll never let you go"  
When all those shadows almost killed your light  
I remember you said, "Don't leave me here alone"  
But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight_

Just close your eyes  
The sun is going down  
You'll be alright  
No one can hurt you now  
Come morning light  
You and I'll be safe and sound

Don't you dare look out your window, darling,  
Everything's on fire  
The war outside our door keeps raging on  
Hold on to this lullaby  
Even when music's gone  
Gone

Just close your eyes  
The sun is going down  
You'll be alright  
No one can hurt you now  
Come morning light  
You and I'll be safe and sound

Oooh, Oooh, Oooh, Oooh  
Oooh, Oooh, Oooh, Oooh  
La La (La La)  
La La (La La)  
Oooh, Oooh, Oooh, Oooh  
Oooh, Oooh, Oooh, Oooh  
La La (La La)

Just close your eyes  
You'll be alright  
Come morning light,  
You and I'll be safe and sound...

Oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh oh oh.

_Safe… and… sound…_

_{"Sing it again Mommy! Again!"}_

_{"If only she would…"}_

_{She will! Don't worry sis!"}_

_{"I'm fading…"}_

_{"But it's okay! Cause' I'm still here! So stay with me forever, okay sis?"}_

_{"…Okay…"}_

_If only they were…_

(…)

**Okay! So, as always, REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! I don't care if you're just a random stranger or a dedicated ****connoisseur****, anything is greatly appreciated! I've gotten good reviews on my other story ****Cause it all Started****, but I'd like some of those here too! So if you like my story, please review, follow, favorite, anything! It's all noted! As always, Alicia, and Jaa-ne! ^_^**


	4. Begin, The Training!

**Okay guys, Chapter 4! You might have noticed I changed the picture for the cover- Like it/ Hate it? tell me! Last time, we saw something, ****_interesting_****, happen with Akachi and Toshiro. Keep that in mind for later chapters guys! **

**Also, I need some inspiration for the story! More info on that after the chapter- enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Alicia does not own Bleach. **

"Taicho! Time to get up!" Matsumoto could be heard from a mile away. Toshiro blinked his eyes, moaning for five more minutes. Suddenly, he remembered his guest for the night.

Bolting upright, he whirled around to the futon where his fellow white-head slept… only to find her gone, her futon and sheets folded neatly by the foot of his bed, tucked out of sight. He blinked for a moment, before Matsumoto burst into his room and started cheerfully yelling his ear off.

Chasing the woman away, Toshiro dressed quickly and made his way to his office. He needed to think about his work now, not about this elusive girl who kept slipping into his mind.

Unfortunately, he was called to the First Division for a meeting before he could even get to his office door.

Hitsugaya steamed, muttering things like, "Dammit, why the hell now…" and "Matsumoto's gonna destroy the barracks while I'm gone…" When he got there, only five Taichos were there. Hitsugaya counted Soi Fon, Ukitake, Kyoraku, Unohana and Kuchiki. He took his place next to Byakuya, across from Soi Fon, Kyoraku and Ukitake. Kyoraku teased him.

"Hey Hitsugaya-Taicho, couldn't get out of bed? Little kids need their sleep." He chuckled. Toshiro wished he had a pillow to throw at him, but he settled for very, very cold reatsu pouring down the back of his neck. It had the desired effect on the Taicho.

"I have called you all here this morning in regards to Reisha Junichiro." Yamamoto inducted.

"It's Akachi." Toshiro muttered. It didn't go unnoticed by his colleagues.

"She will be re-trained by the present Taichos. She is still a powerful Shinigami, but she herself wishes to re-immerse herself in Shinigami customs. She has been insistent on this with me." Yamamoto growled under his breath. She had been more than insistent; she had _demanded_ it.

"She will be trained in Hoho by Soi Fon-Taicho, Hakuda with Kyoraku-Taicho, and Kido with Ukitake-Taicho. Medical Kido with Unohana-Taicho, Shinigami Customs with Kuchiki-Taicho, and Hitsugaya-Taicho will work on Zanjutsu with her. She begins tomorrow. That is all." Yamamoto said, finishing his speech fast and leaving the Taicho's with a dramatic flair of his _haori. _The present Taichos watched him go, still processing their orders.

Toshiro sighed. Soi Fon and Byakuya seemed annoyed that this was taking away from their work time, but Unohana and the others seemed game for it. Toshiro wondered what would happen now.

_"__Who knows? Let's just hope that Matsumoto and Akachi don't destroy my Division…" _He though wearily.

(…)

Akachi was training by herself in the back of the First Division. She had a song in her head, pounding through her brain in wild fervor. It was the song a friend had given her a long time ago- one she could never forget. It was actually about her, and "The light grasped in [her] hand." A.K.A, how she achieved her Shikai.

She swung her unreleased katana in smooth strikes, lancing the simple blade in long thrusts, then turning it counterclockwise and sweeping. She took it in two hands, and rushing forwards towards the invisible enemy, brought it down in a smooth arc over the head of the hollow in her mind.

"For someone who was insistent on training with Taichos, you're by no means weak." Akachi perked up, turning around to face the speaker.

"Thank you Hitsugaya-Taicho. I'm honored that you would take time to help me achieve my potential in Zanjutsu." She bowed politely, smiling widely. Toshiro noticed the sheen of sweat on her upper body- she wore an outfit similar to that of the 2nd Division Taicho, in that it had no sleeves. Actually, the top was completely discarded, only white fabric wrapped around her breasts clothed her top. She wore pants that cinched together just above the ankle, below her mid-calf, and _geta,_ or wooden sandals. Her hair was tied up in a spiky ponytail.

"It's no trouble." Toshiro said, sitting down cross-legged on the edge of the porch. He watched her swing, repetitive downwards strokes of her sword.

"That's you Zanpakuto?" He asked, eyeing the plain sword with its (today, white) colored hilt.

"Yep. This is she." Akachi said, smiling, pulling the sword into her side. Toshiro took in the long silver blade, the long hilt and plain guard. He eyed it cagily.

"It's awfully plain for a Zanpakuto." He said. Akachi suddenly appeared behind him, the blade of her sword right next to his right arm. She radiated no malice or dark intent. The blade gave off a feeling of mist, like low fog that wrapped around your ankles. Not entirely unpleasant.

"That's it's greatest power." She said smartly. She flashed back in front of him. Toshiro raised an eyebrow.

"You could be tried for attacking a Taicho." She froze up for a second, her eyes clouding with fear, before replying tastefully, if stiffly.

"I didn't attack you- if I had wanted to harm you, you wouldn't be sitting there without a scratch." She sassed. Toshiro got annoyed, not noticing the telltale signs of fear and tension in her stance.

"Yeah sure, whatever you say." Toshiro waved his hand and started walking away. As soon as he was out of sight, Akachi slumped to the ground. Her heart pounded, adrenaline and fear pulsing through every fiber of her body. Her heartbeat was a gong in her head, an eternally reverberating count of each second that her heart was squeezed beyond human limits. Her sense of fear was clotting her veins, blocking the passageways into her lungs for oxygen and filling her arteries with poisonous, lethal fear.

She fell onto her back, grabbing at her heart through the cloth of her bandana-top. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't breathe- her vision was getting darker. Her lungs were contracting, she wasn't getting any air. She squeezed her heart through her skin, forcing it to pump, to beat, to live. _You aren't there anymore! _She screeched at herself, before falling into her own mind to battle her inner self.

_Don't fall for it Akashi! _She screamed at her inner self. _It's okay! We aren't there anymore! They won't try to hurt you! _

_No…_ A meek voice sounded out in her mind. _ No… they'll hurt us… They'll hurt us sister! They'll hurt us!_

_They won't hurt you Akashi. I promised to protect you. I have always protected you. I won't ever, ever fail you. NEVER! _She screamed into the surrounding abyss. The voice came back, tiny and submissive.

_You'll… protect me? _

_ALWAYS! _Akachi screamed.

_You'll… never leave me?_

_NEVER!_

_You'll never fail me, Nee-san?_

_ON MY LIFE I SWEAR! _She screamed louder than anything, positive that anyone alive could hear their promise.

She woke up then. The ground inside the courtyard was soft to her. The gravel and dirt got in her clothes, but the grass under her head was nice. The sky was like a small patch of azure blue above her, framed by the roofs on all four of the courtyard's sides. It was a beautiful sight for one who had been deprived of such beauty for a thousand years.

Sighing, she stood, brushing away the gravel from her clothes. She headed inside to change into Shinigami robes for her formal meeting with the Taichos who would be training her.

(…)

Standing up before the Taichos, she looked down, assessing her future tormentors. There was the little girl with the cool braid-tails, the serious man with the white scarf, Unohana, Kyoraku, and Ukitake. Oh, and Hitsugaya-Taicho too.

Looking around, she was conscious of the fact that her Shinigami robes weren't as… well-kept as the others. While they all wore crisp white haoris and neat shikaushos, she wore the black hakama pants and a white top. Her sash was deep sea-green with red embroidery, and so were her satin slippers. She balked at them disdainfully.

Her white hair had been pulled back into a braid, tied with red thread with tiny gold balls. She had run out of the room when the people they had assigned to her to help her dress had tried to put makeup on her. She had mistrusted them from the moment they had tried to put her in a kimono.

All the Taichos looked ahead, not once glancing up at her and Yamamoto. Akachi stood still, tall, and quiet. She was observant and detached, her gaze sweeping over the Taichos present. She took on the demeanor of a pupil- serious and calm.

Yamamoto started talking, though it barely registered with Akachi. Though she looked serious, she was actually standing half asleep. What she did catch was "She will train with each Taicho in order" so she presumed she'd make her way down the numbers, starting with 2 and ending with 13.

Finally dismissed after what seemed like hours of meaningless scheduling and planning and speaking, Akachi dragged herself away from the first division, having already discarded slippers to run barefoot across the Seireitei. Ukitake and Kyoraku watched as she slowly worked her way away.

"Will she be alright? She doesn't have anywhere to sleep, right?" Ukitake asked worriedly. He didn't want the girl to catch frostbite- it was only early spring!

"She will be fine." Yamamoto said, seated at a table across the room. "Reisha has always made do with what she had. It would only anger her if we offered a room in one of the Divisions to her. Her pride would be bruised."

"It's Akachi." Toshiro muttered from up against the wall. His mutterings didn't go unnoticed by the senior Taichos. "What? She insists on us calling her that. Why shouldn't I call her by what she asked me to?"

"She asked you specifically?" Kyoraku asked, raising an eyebrow daringly. Toshiro felt a slight blush reach his cheeks.

"So what?" He said, staring hard at Kyoraku. The older men sighed and chuckled, and Toshiro only blushed harder.

Yes. Things were going to be very interesting for the Seireitei in the weeks to come.

**First day of training: Soi Fon and the 2****nd**** Division**

Akachi ran through the trees, jumping lithely from branch to branch and tree to tree. The foliage was nothing but a green blur to her, with flashes of blue in between longer jumps.

She had been at this for hours- _How long did Soi Fon plan to make her run like this?_

Soi Fon had taken one look at her when she entered the 2nd Division barracks and had sent her outside to the training grounds. "Run and don't stop." She had told her before slamming the screen door shut on her. So Akachi had ran, and she hadn't stopped. _For four hours. _

She sighed. It wasn't that it was hard training- Akachi was just bored. Endlessly running in loops got tiresome.

"HEY!"

A loud voice came from Akachi's left. She darted out of the trees and circled around, coming up to a huge man. He wore a shikausho and carried a Zanpakuto, so she knew he was a shinigami. She circled him fairly slowly, just enough to see her.

"I am the fukutaicho of Squad 2, Marechido Omaeda! You are below me, so I expect you to do as I say!" Akachi came to a stop in front of the man. He continued boasting loudly, his arrogance choking the very air. Akachi gagged just being close to him.

Suddenly, an idea came to her, and she grinned wickedly. She slowly started to run faster around him, letting him grow used to her speed as he rambled off lists of irrelevant things. Then, almost imperceptibly, she tugged up a thin cord she had wound around him in a small circle, darting into the trees once again and pulling him behind her. He screamed like a little girl, and she laughed loudly. The screen door slammed open, and Soi Fon came out.

"What's going on?!" She shouted. Akachi ran up and round her, still dragging Omaeda for her to clearly see. "Dammit Omaeda, you got duped by a little girl?!"

Akachi got mad at this remark. "Hey lady, I'm older than you, so don't call me little when you and I are the same height!" She barked, still running.

Soi Fon growled. "Can you stop running around me like that?!" She snapped. Akachi immediately stopped, tossing Omaeda into a bush. He went down forgotten. An argument ensued, followed by some quick blows and dodges, to an all-out battle in the 2nd Division compound. By the time it was over, Soi Fon and Akachi lay panting on the grass, both having released their Shikai and Soi Fon her Shunko.

"That… was… an awesome… fight." Akachi gasped.

"I… agree." Soi Fon puffed. Akachi wheezed her breaths, heart beating faster than ever before. Her body wasn't used to such strain; first four and a half hours of running followed by dragging around a huge lump of a man and then an all-out brawl with a Taicho? _If my training every day is like this, I'm gonna die._ Akachi thought. Even in her thoughts she was breathing heavily!

"What… was… that technique… you used?" Akachi asked.

"I made it up recently. I combine Hakuda and Kido to use it- it's an advanced battle technique."

"Hey, why don't you teach it to me?"

"What?! No way, you are not ready for that."

"Please, I survived pre-Shinigami Academy, I can handle this. Teach it to me in a week!"

"Why should I?"

"I've got nothing better to do, and besides, I know everything else, teach it to me!"

"No."

"COME ON! I already know how to flashstep and run fast, teach me the technique!"

"Okay, okay, fine! But you better be ready for a helluva' lot of pain!"

"Alright! Let's do this!" The two sat up and grasped hands; they had a feeling they would be good friends.

**One week later…**

"I… DID IT!" Akachi screamed, flopping face first into the grass.

"Come on Akachi-san, get up." Soi Fon said, kicking her in the head.

"No. I am never moving again." Akachi said through a mouthful of dirt. Soi Fon sighed; she had warned her!

"Hey Soi Fon-Taicho?"

"What, Akachi?"

"I can't feel my body anymore."

"OH GOOD GRIEF."

**Okay! So now, I can tell you some more about what I need from you guys!**

**I need ideas as to what will happen with Toshiro and Akachi! I have seven days I need to fill, and so far I only have two. What do you want to see happen between the two Shiro's? Tell me with a review, or PM me! Fact is, if you tell me, your idea will be used... So if you wanna see something happen, tell me and it will! **

**Jaa ne as always! ^_^**


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